Cateye Commuter Cycle Computer

The Cateye Commuter cycling computerClick the picture to get it from Amazon

Being a (weather and work permitting) cyclist and geek, means that there will always be a desire to enjoy the gadgets available for the bike – and there really is no shortage of them.

This little gem satisfies the geeky need for statistics, and tells me just how unfit I have become in my advancing years, just the positive start you need when trying to get a little fitter! 😳

I’d been looking for a cycle computer for a bit, and there are so many to choose from, this one had appeal though, primarily as it shows the ETA

Fitting

Fitting the thing to the bike is quite easy – there is a sensor to attach to the bike fork, a magnet to attach to a spoke, and a bracket to attach to somewhere you can see it (in my case this was on the stem) where the computer sits.

As long as the computer is not too far from the sensor, the wireless signal will be picked up; that’s it. 🙂

Setting up

This is a little fiddly, as the buttons are on the back and are tiny, time for the ballpoint pen trick.

You enter the settings for the date and time, the units you wish to use, and a setting to indicate the circumference of the tires. To do this there is a table to tell you what to put in from the sizes printed on it the tyre itself, so it’s not too much trouble finding that.

Once you’ve done this hop on and see just how fast you can go 😎

Features

The computer will tell you various things for your ride (from the website)

Current speed: 0 ~ 99.9 km/h (0 – 62.5 mph) 😯

Elapsed time: 0:00’00” ~ 9:59’59”

Trip distance: 0.00 ~ 999.99 km [mile]

Average speed: 0 ~ 99.9 km/h (0 – 62.5 mph)

Maximum speed: 0 ~ 99.9 km/h (0 – 62.5 mph)

Estimated Time of Arrival [ETA]: 1:00 ~ 12:59 [ 0:00 ~ 23:59 ]

Clock : 0:00 ~ 23:59 [ 1:00 ~ 12:59 ]

Temperature: -20~60? [32 °F – 104 °F]

Trip distance: today & yesterday, this & last week, this & last month, this & last year, total distance

The ETA is calculated against your previous ride, and the Carbon Offset is a maths function.

There’s also a little light on it to see in those twilight hours, though it’s not too bright and is quite awkward to get to.

Review

I love this little box! It’s great to whizz about on the bike, and know that you are doing 26.4 mph, and will arrive at the office at 08:42.

There are a couple of caveats though – mainly that, although the manual says otherwise, sometimes the computer doesn’t come on automatically. I track my times using Microsoft Excel, so sometimes this is a right pain, when I turn it on about halfway through the ride.

Also, as mentioned above, the light is all but useless. In the summer months you’ll not need it, and during the Winter, you will not be able to press the tiny button through your gloves.

All in all it’s a 9/10 from me 🙂

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Simon Rochester is an IT geek, with a passion for all things tech.
Over the years I have worked for companies large and small and have been running Rochester & Associates Ltd for over 15 years.
I like various things in life, including cycling, reading and learning about my beloved technology.